our supporters

Housing in Inspire is supported by the Department for Communities.

The department is responsible for the reform of social housing, help and advice for private rented and social housing tenants, housing legislation and social housing providers, such as the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE). 

The Housing Executive is Northern Ireland’s strategic housing authority and the largest social housing landlord in the UK, managing almost 90,000 homes. Through its leading-edge research and housing analysis, it informs and supports housing regeneration initiatives to enable sustainable communities. The organisation has a wider strategic role, which extends to addressing broader housing issues across all tenures. Its aim is to deliver good housing and ensure the long-term future of all neighbourhoods across Northern Ireland.

The Housing support in Inspire draws funding from the NIHE’s Supporting People programme. Supporting People was introduced in Northern Ireland in April 2003. Since then, the Supporting People has represented a major investment in housing support services in Northern Ireland. This is the government programme for housing-related support, which aims to help vulnerable people live as independently as possible in the community. It established the means by which to manage accommodation on a partnership basis and strategically commission housing-related support services that aim to tackle social exclusion by preventing crisis and more costly service interventions.

Supporting People funds housing-related support services that a landlord (such as a housing association, for example) or other provider (such as a voluntary organisation) can provide. Support means advice and help in making it easier for vulnerable people to maintain their independence at home. People can receive such support in a hostel, sheltered housing or other type of supported living. Support can also be provided to people in their own homes, through floating services. This can include:

- Someone to support people as they manage their money and pay their bills;

- A warden or scheme manager who is there in case people need help;

- Someone who helps people to live independently;

- Someone who helps people learn how to follow the rules in their tenancy agreement;

- Someone who can provide advice or assistance on a range of housing-related matters.

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